A/N: Oh yes! Chapter two! I'm so proud that I'm getting this out and I was so determined to make you guys happy that I even started the third chapter! Aren't you proud?! I hope you are! I'm so glad that you reviewing. I'm just so proud of this story. I mean, it's like my masterpiece because it's my first angst piece, lol! Anyway, I need to say thanx to my reviewers. I've never done this before so bare with me!…
Jess: I'm so glad that you reviewed! You're always a loyal review of mine! And I'm glad you liked it even though it was sad and yes, I know, Ron drunk is not a good site…but I had to do it, or my story wouldn't be how I wanted it to be! Anyway, review again and thanks AFL!!
AngelwingS: "…and THEN i think of Ron and Hermione not together...and that's just not right." Haha, I LOVE that. It should be like, the motto for all R/Hr shippers. Anyway, I'm so glad you're eager to see the sequel, because it's here!!! Yay! Anyway, you'll have to wait a few more chapters for the eventual ending up together…because this isn't going to be THAT short! Lol. Anyway, thanks for reviewing!
Blade Malfoy Celebare: You reviewed!! Yay! Lol. I'm so glad. And it's my angst fic! Yay! So yeah, I love how you stressed the word amazing! It makes me feel so special! Lol. "British word-thingies" is such a great description of Brit words, lol. And I'm glad you like them. I tried to put ones in that would make it believable and not like I tried to hard to sound British (cuz everyone knows how I'm obsessing to be one of them! Lol) Anyway…thanks for reviewing and can't wait to see you (or if you read this after Friday, glad I saw you) on Friday for the movie!! Bye buddy!!
Celeb Ryu- You guys are SO joined at the hip. You reviewed right before Meagan! Scary coincidence if I have to say so myself. Anyway, I'm glad that you got teary eyed, and that you reviewed. The teary eyeness means that you liked it and you were affected by it so yay for me! And Celeb, Celeb, Celeb…give me something that tells me how I'm doing good, lol. Throw me a freaking bone here, lol…j/k thanks for reviewing bud and (like Meagan) I'll see you on Friday :-D
WeasleyGranger-I know, I'd hug Ron too…poor thing…And I'm glad you're giving me that very subtle hint of liking my story! Lol "ok that's my round about way of saying, "oi keep going".
Slytherin's Minako- Aw! Thanks! I hope I don't make you disappointed with this chapter. I'm really looking forward to proving that it will be great, even past the "so far" stage ;-)
R/Hr Fan- Hey!!!! Isa!!!! Yay!!!! Ok…enough exclamation marks. I'm so glad you reviewed and I'm glad our insanity will ensue even more! I'm happy that we can be strange together and all that goodness but now to your review! Yes! It was the longest review and I just loved your favorite quotes (which I'm proud to say were mine, hehe) and I am just so glad that you liked this! I was worried and sad and thinking no one would review but look at this! I got nine people! *grins* Anyway, I hope you like this one and I can't wait for you to review the next chapter and to read your insanity. One tip though. Put an extra line in between the paragraphs because then it makes them more organized! (and longer too, lol)
ChaCha- Second reviewer man! I'm so glad you could love this and review this! Yay! I hope you review again!
Lleeo- Yay! My first reviewer! I'm so proud of you! Lol. Well, thank you thank you thank you a million times! And please review again!
And now…onto the story!
Bitter Tears
Chapter 2
My father's a great man. For the next three weeks he covered for me at the Ministry, told them I was going through personal problems and that I would be working again as soon as they got better. Of course, in my heart I knew nothing would be better until I had Hermione back into my arms, and seeing as I thought this was never going to happen (and I still think that) the problem looked almost hopeless.
Fred and George were around a lot to help me but Ginny, who was most often the closest member of my family, seemed torn. Over the last few years, she had gotten pretty close to Hermione, especially while we were dating. She didn't know whom to believe so she was helplessly stuck in the middle of this one.
This was also the first summer where Hermione had not stopped to visit. Harry came to stay temporarily, moving all of his things (which was a surprisingly very small amount) into Percy's old room. I love Harry, he's like one of my family, like an extra brother, but it seemed eerily quiet with out Hermione. Something was missing. It was strange, but until then, I hadn't realized how much she really meant to my family. She had always meant quite a lot to me but even mum had been crying when she found out what had happened.
Fred and George were still living at home but their usual liveliness was dampened when I walked into the room. It seemed to happen with anyone in my family. Even Harry was unconsciously quieting any fun or lively conversations he would be having with Gin when I walked into the room. If they were talking, they would stop, and look at me with these sad eyes. They would just kill me. I hated the fact that not only had I hurt Hermione, but I was hurting my family and my friends by just being here. It was like I was a black thundercloud, which affected everyone negatively. I didn't want to bring them down with me but it was very hard not to when some days I couldn't find the strength or will to get out of bed.
I remember not eating for a whole week. I was so malnourished that I got the flu and ended up spending even more time by myself.
That's probably why it happened, and I'm sort of glad it did.
You see, it turns out that no matter how important Percy was to the ministry (he was now the head of the Magical Mishaps division. A very large section of the Ministry) or that my father had worked there for thirty-three years, they needed to fill out my position and couldn't do it while I was sitting at home doing nothing at all. Of course I was sick with the flue for two and a half weeks but they didn't care, which is understandable. They needed someone that they could trust to work, and they hadn't seen that in me.
Again with the trust issue. I guess I'm just not a trust worthy person…not after all the stuff I've done; cheated on Hermione and not shown up for a job at the Ministry. My life outside of Hogwarts was shaping up to be grand. I had no idea what I wanted to be now that the Ministry had turned me down and I didn't even have my girl friend anymore. If this was reality, please, take it back and put me in Hogwarts again.
My parents were supportive through it all. Mum taught me how to cook during the afternoons, when dad was at the Ministry and I was willing to learn. Dad, though sad that the Ministry gave up on me, didn't get mad that I wasn't ready and willing to continue my life like Harry was. He'd gotten a job as an Auror, not surprisingly. It seems he hadn't had enough adventure tracking down Voldemort at Hogwarts, now he had to track down his followers too.
One day, after the new term at Hogwarts had started (almost four and a half months since we broke up) I called Hermione.
I had always known her phone number. When she first gave it to me in sixth year, I memorized it. Mum had gone out to lunch with the neighbors and dad was working again, so I was alone, and unpleasantly nervous.
I waited ten long seconds, three long rings, and got the answering machine.
"Hello, you've reached the Granger residence. (555) 328-5283. We're sorry for our busy schedules but if you leave your name and your number we will call you back as soon as we can." Her voice sent shivers done my spine. I hadn't heard that voice in four long months, and the last time I had heard it, she was telling me how much she hated me.
There was silence, and then a loud beep and I stared at the phone in my hand. I'd never left a message before.
"Um, Hermione? I'm not, not sure if I'm doing this right," my voice shook, "but, um, look Hermione, you know I'm a jerk ok? You know I screw up and you know how much of a bloody idiot I am but I just," man, was this hard to get out…wobbly voice, stumbling words, and a fear of saying what I truly felt about her held me back for a little while. "Hermione, I miss you, and just, please, please, please, call me back. You have my number. I need to talk to you. We have a lot of things to talk about and I think we-" Three beeps concluded whatever I had just been saying.
I felt hopeless but relieved to know I'd tried to make an improvement in my life.
That day, I had another strange urge…an urge to write. In the back of my mind I had always known we had a typewriter. I remember my dad fiddling with it when I was little, just itching to take it apart and explore its inside. My grandfather, who was the person to give us the machine in the first place would never allow such a thing, so my father had to play with it while it was still all in one piece.
I took the trip up to the attack, trying desperately to ignore the ghoul, who was cackling somewhere up near the rafters, and brought the typewriter back downstairs.
And when everything was hooked up just right, my fingers began sliding over the keys like they had taken over my mind. I just wrote about all of my pent up feelings. I hadn't been able to explain what happened to anyone, not even Harry. It was just too hard before. But somehow, I wrote it all, and not only about the break up, but about my relationship before the graduation night, and what my plans had been for our future.
When I was finished it was fifteen pages long but it wasn't a waste of time. I felt as if a load had been taken off of my shoulders. I felt less bogged down, though all of the reminiscing had left me mentally drained, it felt good to write it out in words. A few days later, I was reading the Daily Prophet and an article caught my eye. It was a large add which stated clearly that the Prophet was looking for new story ideas, and new stories.
It seemed like a long shot to me. Apart from school reports and the story I had just written, nothing that I'd penned before was very good, if it existed at all. Still, what did I have to lose with sending in the fifteen-page story? They could turn me down, I wasn't expecting much from this fiasco, but I might as well try. So the next day I spent checking over for spelling errors (there were many) made sure it sounded as professional as it could, and got Athena, (Gin's owl, who had just sent me a letter. Pig was too small for this job) and sent it off.
I waited a week and nothing came. Two, three, four more weeks. Still nothing. I was beginning to lose heart when one day, a very official looking horned owl (complete with a blue vest and a silver name tag with the name Ook on it) dropped an envelope in my lap before letting itself enjoy a little of my dad's uneaten toast.
I picked the package up lightly and squeezed it, feeling how thick it was. I found with disappointment that it was fairly thin. Steeling myself for the almost certain rejection, I broke the wax seal. With fumbling hands I pulled out only two measly sheets of parchment.
"Dear Mr. Weasley-We have read the whole of your manuscript and enjoyed it. (I grinned spite of myself. Maybe I had some talent.) But (oh…there was always a but…) But the Prophet is not looking for this type of story currently."
My heart fell. I guess I'd always known I wasn't good enough. Hermione had always been the one who was great at writing. However, the letter was not finished, and there was still a second piece of parchment to look at. Maybe there was something on that page that would give me some hope.
"Despite our rejection of a fairly well written essay, we do realize what talent you possess. That is why we here at the Prophet would like you to continue a column, which was left alone after the resignation of our last author. Please consider the offer and write back to us as soon as you can.
Sincerely,
The editor and Chief of the Daily Prophet
Jacob Alexander"
I stared blankly at the sheet of parchment in my fingers. They were offering me a job, and not just any job! I was getting a chance to be a column writer…the writer of a daily column! In a newspaper! A real newspaper! My name was going to be read in thousands of pages by witches and wizards everywhere.
Using the typewriter again, for fear that they would loathe my atrocious handwriting, I wrote them a letter of acceptance. Finishing quickly, I tied the note to Ook's leg and sent it off. If this wasn't luck, I didn't know what was. Maybe Hermione would take me back when she knew that I had a steady and responsible job. Maybe she would let me explain what happened that night back in June.
Getting up with a burst of energy, I ran to the phone. I had to call her, had to hear her voice. Even if she weren't home, her message machine would still have her voice on it. But then realization hit me…I had called her a while ago and no one had picked up, and she still had not called back.
Well, maybe she had been out. I would try again either way.
I plugged in her number and heard one, two, three rings and then, all of a sudden, I heard a rush of air and someone on the other line said, "Hello?"
My heart raced. "Hermione?" I managed to get out, hoping beyond hope that it was her.
"I'm sorry, but Hermione doesn't live here anymore." I suppose it was her mother on the other end. My spirits dropped and I felt more depressed than I had in days.
"Oh." I said sadly, "Well, thank you."
"Would you like to leave a message with her? Or perhaps call her apartment number?"
"Yes, you don't mind giving me the number do you?"
"No, not at all. Do you have a pen?"
"Yes."
"Ok, it's (555) 719-2845."
"Thank you Mrs. Granger."
I thought she was going to hang up but something stopped her as realization dawned. She had no idea who she just gave her daughter's personal phone number to.
"May I ask who this is? I know it's a bit late."
"Um, my name's Ron. Ron Weasley…"
"You're the one who left the message a few months ago? The one she used to be friends with at Hogwarts right?"
"Yes Mrs. Granger. My dad met you a few times. We all have red hair." He told her, hoping that would jog her memory.
"Oh yes, of course. Well Ronald, I'm sure that Hermione would be angry if I told you this, but you should know, she misses you a lot. She never told us what happened. She only said that she was hurt and we never asked. It was obvious that she cared a great deal about you though."
MY throat tightened and I felt my eyes begin to sting again. Damn the girly emotional crap. I can't cry again. That will make it almost five times in six months. That's almost once a month. But hearing that I had caused Hermione so much pain when I was supposed to be the one closest to her. It was almost too much to take. I was sick of hurting people. I didn't know what to do to stop hurting them though.
In a shaking voice I replied, "Thanks Mrs. Granger, for everything." Before quietly hanging up and putting my head in my hands.
Merlin I missed her. I'd do anything to get her back, to make her see that I had changed. I appreciate her so much more than I had before. I loved her (if possible) more than I had. All I needed to do now was to form some plan of getting her back. That would be the hard part.
A/N: Yay! It's done it's done! Ok, ok, only the second chapter but hey, I'm proud all right. Was that too short? It seemed long when I was typing it…but I guess it isn't. Sorry guys. I meant to make it long. I'll try to make the other one longer. There are a lot of surprises coming your way soon so I hope you stick around and read them! Thanks so much for your support and R2R (remember to review)